Consumer Debt

Bankruptcy Fraud: Still a Threat to the Bankruptcy Process

Bankruptcy Fraud: Still a Threat to the Bankruptcy Process By Elise Mochizuki The recent increase in both consumer and corporate bankruptcy filings is expected to include significant bankruptcy fraud and/or abuse. With the goal of empowering stakeholders to assist the

4th Circuit Maryland Aug 15, 2024

A Wholly Unsecured Lien May Be Stripped Off Even if It Predated Ownership

Bankruptcy Judge Michelle Harner held that a wholly unsecured, subordinate lien may be stripped off in chapter 13 even if the lien arose before the debtor owned the property.

Benchnotes October 2024

Benchnotes By Bradley D. Pack, Aaron M. Kaufman and Christina Sanfelippo Reverse Alter-Ego Claims Are Property of Bankruptcy Estate and Can Be Sold/Settled by Trustee In In re Nordlicht , 1 the Second Circuit Court of Appeals held that claims that business entities are

Benchnotes September 2024

Benchnotes By Christina Sanfelippo, Aaron M. Kaufman and Bradley D. Pack Supreme Court Finds No Authority for Nondebtor Third-Party, Nonconsensual Releases In Harrington v. Purdue Pharma LP , 1 the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Second Circuit’s order approving the

Navigating the Intersection of §§ 507 and 523: Understanding the Priority and Dischargeability of Governmental Debts

Navigating the Intersection of §§ 507 and 523: Understanding the Priority and Dischargeability of Governmental Debts By Trish D. Lazich and Kristin Radwanick Bankruptcy is a complex legal landscape. The Bankruptcy Code is particularly complex with respect to the

Return of the Living Claim

Return of the Living Claim By Brittany M. Woodman What is “zombie debt” (also referred to as stale debt)? Some have defined it as debt that is not recognized as discharged following a bankruptcy — although the debt is no longer legally enforceable. 1 Yet others have

Recoupment of Social Security Benefit Overpayments Is Barred as a Setoff

Medicaid overpayments may be recovered as ‘recoupment’ while Social Security overpayments are attempted setoffs barred by discharge, Bankruptcy Judge Harwood says.

Could You Be a Debtor? SDNY Renders Decision in Chapter 15 Proceeding for SVB Cayman Branch

Could You Be a Debtor? SDNY Renders Decision in Chapter 15 Proceeding for SVB Cayman Branch By Luke A. Barefoot, Thomas S. Kessler and Ethan Singer 1 The failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history, in March 2023 rocked the

Legislative Highlights April 2024

Legislative Highlights U.S. Judicial Conference Aims to Promote Random Case Assignment The Judicial Conference of the United States on March 12 proposed strengthening the policy governing random case assignment, limiting the ability of litigants to effectively choose